Project "Second Strike" RCSB 6.4

BilletGarage

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I have been in love with the RCSB Powerstrokes ever since I first laid eyes on Gene Feldhan's “Stroked Lightning” build around 2006. Being a go fast guy, it just made sense. A short, light duty, 8 lug truck that could put 700hp and four digits of torque to the tires, without a slew of broken parts in it's wake, became my obsession! When the 6.4 hit the streets in 2007 and 600hp with light mods and a hot tune was realized, I knew I had found the foundation for my future build!

Fast forward to January 2013, I located a 2008 RCLB 6.4 online for a steal! There was only one problem.... it was in Texas and I was in California with no time to travel. With 182,000 miles on the odometer, I figured it had been a fleet vehicle and I was right. I spoke to the owner several times and poured over pictures of it online for weeks. On Valentine's Day, my wife and I were out of town when I got a call back from the owner accepting my ridiculously low offer. I purchased the truck without ever seeing it in person and arranged to have it shipped to the West Coast.

The planning phase went into high gear the minute it rolled off the big rig in early March. I immediately made contact with gurus like Mike Dillehay @ No Limit Fabrication, Eric Eldreth @ Innovative Diesel Performance, and James @ Pro-Precision to seek their support on the build. All were very generous with their time and knowledge with my last truck and nothing has changed in that department.

Meanwhile, a good buddy of mine who worked for Hot Rod Magazine introduced me to Brian Mackey of Mackey's Hot Rods in Huntington Beach, CA. I instantly became a fan of his work and attention to detail. After meeting Brian and crew in person, and discussing my plans for the build, I convinced them to take a brief departure from the classic hot rods they had backed up in the yard. I went about selling the long bed, finding a short bed, and securing some needed parts to get started. The truck rolled into Mackey's shop about two weeks ago and the work began!

The basic goal: To create a pro-touring inspired street/strip truck that emits little to no smoke and puts 625 reliable horsepower to the ground on fuel and 700+ on spray. The engine mod list will be modest but calculated and I will be erring on the side of caution when it comes to reliability issues. The truck won't break any horsepower, torque, or time-slip records but it won't break too many parts either. Most important, it will be fun as hell to drive! And, I WILL be driving it... a lot! :rockon:

I will post the progress pics thus far and continue posting as progress is made. Please ask any questions you have or give me your thoughts along the way, as I'm certainly no expert on these trucks. I will probably learn right along with you as those in-the-know chime in. A warning up front though, this build will likely not move along at Chip Foose OverHaulin' speed. But, I hope to keep a reasonable pace so bear with me. Feel free to prod if you get anxious. :biggun: :D

Below is my vision for Project “Second Strike”! The sport truck :fordoval: should have built! But since they fell short, thank goodness for cut off wheels, welders, and diesel addiction!

Hope you enjoy the journey! :ford:

SecondStrikeRendering_zpse4c3d4d1.png
 
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dieselpower

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TBH, I'm impressed with your write up about the truck more than the truck itself LOL Nice to read a build story that's well written and interesting, and not jumbled together in a minute.

Nice truck!
 
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BilletGarage

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I'm with it....Please continue the story, more details?

Cool! What would you like to know? Ask away....

This is gonna be awesome!

I need the mirrors off the truck in the rendering. LOL

Thank you! The mirrors are from a late model (05'ish) F150 that will be modified/grafted to fit. I will be sure to document that process when the time comes. The idea came when I just happen to see a 6.4 sitting next to an F150 in a parking lot and it clicked. I think they look right at home. :D
 

RSK

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Cool! What would you like to know? Ask away....



Thank you! The mirrors are from a late model (05'ish) F150 that will be modified/grafted to fit. I will be sure to document that process when the time comes. The idea came when I just happen to see a 6.4 sitting next to an F150 in a parking lot and it clicked. I think they look right at home. :D

I was just wondering what turbo's you gonna use and such. 685-690 on stock fuel is obtainable with turbo's, and some reliabiltity mods.
 

BilletGarage

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I was just wondering what turbo's you gonna use and such. 685-690 on stock fuel is obtainable with turbo's, and some reliabiltity mods.

Right now I am planning to go with a 71/59 combo. I want the power to be as smoke free as possible and, my thinking is, that combo will clean up stock injectors on a race tune well and spool quickly. Any additional fuel the stock injectors can provide (on a max fuel tune) I will clean up with a single shot. Planning to take the stock injectors to the limit. Was planning to sump the tank and ad an AirDog to keep the HPFP well supplied. And I will definitely address any other reliability mods as you mentioned. If I can make 685-690 off the bottle, bonus! Feel free to suggest parts, combos, etc. I'm still learning. :D
 

RSK

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Right now I am planning to go with a 71/59 combo. I want the power to be as smoke free as possible and, my thinking is, that combo will clean up stock injectors on a race tune well and spool quickly. Any additional fuel the stock injectors can provide (on a max fuel tune) I will clean up with a single shot. Planning to take the stock injectors to the limit. Was planning to sump the tank and ad an AirDog to keep the HPFP well supplied. And I will definitely address any other reliability mods as you mentioned. If I can make 685-690 off the bottle, bonus! Feel free to suggest parts, combos, etc. I'm still learning. :D

Oh sounds good, I would go with the 72/59 little bit more air over a 71, same spool up though. should burn every ounce of fuel the stock injectors can muster up...should be smoke free and haze very little even down low with low or no boost situations, I would do stage one valve springs/ push rods, new rocker arms, head studs, new lifters, probably hd delipped pistons. everything Mike from No limit has to offer. Dpc triple disc converter. One up off road traction bars, Hellwig sway bars front and rear. 4400lb coil springs up front and no block in the rear. Oh one last thing go with gear head automotive tuning and you will have no smoke on stock turbo's and a heavy haze at most. That's what I run and its great. I'm only in the hot street tune and I put down 547/1030 stock everything, even sucked the air filter quite a bit. dpf/cat delete pipe only.


You should have one fun truck when its all said and done!!! :rockon:
 

BilletGarage

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Oh sounds good, I would go with the 72/59 little bit more air over a 71, same spool up though. should burn every ounce of fuel the stock injectors can muster up...should be smoke free and haze very little even down low with low or no boost situations, I would do stage one valve springs/ push rods, new rocker arms, head studs, new lifters, probably hd delipped pistons. everything Mike from No limit has to offer. Dpc triple disc converter. One up off road traction bars, Hellwig sway bars front and rear. 4400lb coil springs up front and no block in the rear. Oh one last thing go with gear head automotive tuning and you will have no smoke on stock turbo's and a heavy haze at most. That's what I run and its great. I'm only in the hot street tune and I put down 547/1030 stock everything, even sucked the air filter quite a bit. dpf/cat delete pipe only.


You should have one fun truck when its all said and done!!! :rockon:

Thanks! I only want to build this thing once so I appreciate all the suggestions. :toast:
 

RSK

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Thanks! I only want to build this thing once so I appreciate all the suggestions. :toast:

I hear ya, I'm doing the same with my truck, but I'm going for 800-850 on fuel and i'll spray to 1000 at the track for a few passes and that's about it, I want a 10.90's pass in my 4x4 crew cab short bed weighing in at 8000lbs with me in it on 22's
 

BilletGarage

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I hear ya, I'm doing the same with my truck, but I'm going for 800-850 on fuel and i'll spray to 1000 at the track for a few passes and that's about it, I want a 10.90's pass in my 4x4 crew cab short bed weighing in at 8000lbs with me in it on 22's

Nice! That thing will be a beast! :ford:
 

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